Chapter 24
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A smile was spread on Raina McCoy's face as she knocked on Roux Addington's door. After getting permission to come in, she opened the massive doors and walked into the bedroom just as he ended his call.
"Good morning" She greeted softly as she picked his tie up from it's sprawled position on his bed and approached him.
"Good morning, love" His large arms immediately wrapped around her narrow waist as she stood before him and hung his tie around his neck, helping him to knot it.
"Are you forgetting something?" Raina asked cautiously and Roux took a moment to think before tutting and tilting her chin so she could stare up at him. His hand wasted no time in wrapping around the back of her neck as he connected his lips with hers.
Raina frowned but kissed him back and he smiled as he pulled away, slipping his sleek phone out of his pocket as he felt it buzz. "It seems Madison is here to pick you up"
"Pick me up? To where?" She frowned in confusion as she followed behind him. Roux picked up his suitcase and walked out the door in a hurry and she did her best to match his long strides.
"Shopping. Something about a girl get-together" He grabbed her hand and pulled her down the flight of stairs.
Raina was almost jogging as he pulled her behind him. Why was he in such a hurry? She was disappointed. He had forgotten what day it was and there he was pulling her out of the building.
"Have a nice day, I will see you after work" Roux said, pressing a kiss to her lips and slamming the door at her face before locking it. Raina's jaw slacked.
Did he just lock her out? She slowly stared down at her clothing and sighed. She was dressed in a simple shirt, a matching pair of sweatpants and a pair of socks. How was she supposed to go out in a pair of socks?
With a sigh, she took a step backwards and bumped into someone. Turning back, she spotted Madison Armstrong standing behind her with a wide smile. The girl sung, "Happy birthday, Raina"
She squealed as Madison pulled her into a tight hug and squeezed the oxygen out her lungs before pulling away, " Now come on, we have a while day to shop for us both. Take it as my present from Rouxs' black card"
"But I am not even wearing shoes!" Raina fought to run back into the building and away from the shopping freak but the girl was stronger. Shopping with Madison Armstrong was like death in a pair of Christian Louboutins. Ready to seduce you but knock out all of your energy in the end.
"I have a pair of slippers in the car. Besides, we could get you a pair of shoes once we get there" Madison tugged harshly on her arm before pulling her into the backseat of the vehicle whose door had already been held open by Wilbert, Roux Addington's personal chauffeur.
With a sigh, Raina stared out through the window at the large doors, wishing Roux would unlock them and come save her. She was not asking for a kiss. She was asking for a wish. It was her birthday.
She was now twenty-four.
"Stop sulking and put on a smile. It is your big day, after all"
That was five hours ago, now the three Addington's stood in the kitchen, covered in flour while Emma Addington glared at her father. She had told him not to go all muscles on the flour packet and now Caldwell Loughty had left to avoid a heart attack at the sight of his kitchen.
Eggs, flour, yeast and vegetables which Roux Addington thought were included in cake ingredients were tossed everywhere. They had not even begun with decorating the mansion for Raina McCoy's birthday.
Roux Addington had taken the day off just like he had done about a week ago for their family picnic. To Raina McCoy, he was at work and had forgotten her birthday but in reality, the man was in the kitchen, huffing and puffing with a face covered in flour. Things were not going according to plan in his side.
He had planned the day out with Madison Armstrong. ‘Get Raina out of the mansion while we prepare a surprise party for her and bake her a cake ’. It sounded much easier to say than do.
He was frustrated and he contemplated on calling Caldwell Loughty back but choose not to. They could do this. His fists clenched as he could almost imagine Charlie Knight laughing at his downfall. He was sure his old friend knew how to made a cake better.
Shaking his head, Roux looked at his children and their eyes softened at his state. This was Raina McCoy's birthday. The love of his life and she would be celebrating it for the first time in forever. Getting jealous of a man who held no meaning to them was superfluous.
"Give me the spatula, daddy. Just crack the eggs" Emma Addington huffed and stretched out her hand. Lifting his hands to show he meant no harm, Roux Addington passed over the spatula and walked towards the fridge, stepping over a carrot.
Maybe the children could do it better.
•
"Oh come on! Cheer up Raina! Today is your big day so why do you look so sad?!" Madison asked as she tossed a pair of heels into the shopping cart.
They had been to four malls within the past few hours and Raina could collapse any second. She had lost count of the amount of things the agile woman had thrown into the cart but by the four employees that wheeled the carts behind them, she could tell they were a lot.
How much had they even spent? The thought worried her.
"Nothing. I am just tired" Raina lied as she wrung her fingers together and followed behind silently. She had not even picked out any piece of clothing so Madison Armstrong gladly took up the job for her.
"Do not lie to me, Raina. We are friends, we can talk things out" The young woman glared at her before turning back to the face the collection of lingeries. Friends. Raina was glad she now had someone to call that.
"It's just that, Roux seemed to have forgotten it was my birthday. And the twins also. I mean, not like they have to remember. They probably have a lot thinking of but I just expected them to remember? Or not. I am ranting, am I not?"
Madison Armstrong laughed at the woman's flustered face.
"Yes you are but", Madison turned to face her holding up a pair of red lace lingerie, " This would help him not to forget next time. I could teach you some things I know"
Raina's cheeks heated up and she smacked the small piece of clothing down before turning back to see if anyone had seen or heard. Madison chortled and shook her head at the girl's actions, picking the material from the marble tiles. So innocent.
"You do not want to learn, Raina?"
"Shut up, Maddie" Raina mumbled and the girl laughed once again before carrying on with her shopping, throwing in whatever she touched and liked for them both. They did say females shopped to find what they wanted, did they they?
Back at the Addington mansion, the trio took a step backwards to inspect their work. It was supposed to be a chocolate cake but it looked like a slab of faeces. With a cringe, they spun the cake silently, searching for a rather better angle.
"Do you think she will like it, daddy?" Ethan Addington looked up at his father, his long lashes which were covered in flour fanning against his cheeks.
"I am not sure but, why don't we store it in the freezer while we clean up and then decorate, hm? Maybe we can try again after that"
"Good idea" Caldwell Loughty stated, startling the trio as they turned to see the fuming man standing by the doorway. Never from the moment he had begun working in the mansion had the kitchen appear that filthy.
All his attempts to convince the trio to allow him bake the cake were in vain.
Everything was out of place and the sight suffocated the professional chef. Casting a disgusted glance at their cake, Caldwell Loughty spun on his heels and walked away with a huff.
"Do you think he is angry, daddy?" Ethan Addington tugged on his father's soiled dress shirt as he carefully picked up the cake. They had no idea how it tasted but they mad sure they did not add corn, that was an effort.
"I think so"
Raina McCoy and Madison Armstrong roamed around the streets of London, breathing in the sight. Wilbert Walker remained in the car that had been stocked with an endless amounts of clothing and accessories while Raina requested to walk around the streets as she always did on her birthdays.
That was how she celebrated them.
The weather was slightly chilly. It was the eighteenth of November, the festive season fast approaching. Over the years, she had always given out flowers to anyone who her heart led her to. Her mother used to love them. When she was little, her birthdays were nothing massive. Just her, her father and their little dog, Bone.
They would celebrate in their small cottage with a homemade cake and she would pretend to be surprised upon opening presents which she had already torn open hours before. They were presents she had received the last year but her naive mind had no idea. They were not the richest but they were happy— at least until her mother died.
Till that night.
Raina McCoy's eyes immediately caught on to a baby in a stroller. She had a birthday hat on and a small smile spread out Raina's face at the sight. It was also her birthday and the hat was far larger than her head but she looked happy. She was happy.
With a frown, Raina had not noticed when her had clutched around her abdomen, silently mourning. She had thought this year would be different. She always thought that since she finally had a home once again, it would be like her old days.
Like when she was a kid.
"Are you okay, Raina. Is it your time of the month? I have some medicine in my purse" Madison offered as she placed her hand on the female's shoulder, startling her.
Raina blinked back her tears and forcefully tore her eyes away from the baby in the stroller. She was too late and Madison had already seen the tears fought back and pulled her so she could face her, "Raina? What is wrong? Are you feeling emotional because it is also that baby's Birthday?" Madison asked softly.
Raina shook her head.
"Then what is wrong?"
"I was just thirteen, Maddy ", Raina choked back a sob, "My father got mad at me. He was drunk and I had knocked over one of his bottles. He stabbed me— the blade. It was– it was too deep. I passed out and woke up in a hospital. Everyone was staring at me in pity; the doctors, the nurses."
Madison's eyes went wide. Noticing the sensitivity of the topic, she pulled the sobbing female towards a nearby bench on the sidewalk. Her hands found Raina's on the wooden table as she urged her to continue.
"My father could not even stare at me. I found out while I was in a coma, I had gone through a hysterectomy. My uterus was too damaged, Maddie. They had to take it out" Her body racked in sobs and Madison Armstrong immediately pulled her into a hug, rubbing her hand down her back.
Madison could not believe her ears. Raina McCoy's father had hurt her terribly at such a young age. She had been through so much. What else had she been through?
Without questioning, she already knew that the woman was one with a past. Broken. Her green eyes gazed around the park as she continued to rub on Raina's back soothingly. Staring at the stroller, Madison noted as the little baby girl stared at them in confusion, her head tilted to the side.
That is why her mood had turned sour upon seeing the baby. It was a trigger b though she had found love and even a family, she could never have one of her own. Her past, it was a tough one, "Does Roux know?"
Raina shook her head.
"No, he doesn't" Raina sniffed into the woman's shoulders. The thought of Roux finding out would shatter her. What if he left her? What if he thought she was too damaged?
"Well someday, you will have to tell him", Madison Armstrong pulled away so she could face her, "And I know he will not judge you, Raina. He woul never, he loves you" she smiled reassuringly at her and caressed the woman's cheeks.
"Thank you, Maddie"
"Do not thank me, Raina. Now go give that little baby the flowers. I am sure she would love them, she has been staring at them ever since" Madison urged and Raina chuckled, glancing at the baby before wiping her tearstained cheeks dry.
Slowly, she walked up towards the park bench across from theirs where the young woman sat and tried to get her daughter's attention with a toy. The baby did not budge as she glanced curiously at Raina McCoy. Like she was the only person in the park.
"Hello" Raina greeted shyly as she gripped the bunch of flowers tightly but careful enough not to break the petals.
"Hello. Is everything alright?" The woman asked with a warm smile. She had seen Raina breakdown but she had no idea why. Albeit, the flowers she held in her hands gave away that she meant no harm.
"Yes. I am Raina and well, It's actually my birthday and", Raina took in a deep breath, "it seems it is your daughter's birthday also. I always give flowers out to someone every year and I just thought..." Raina trailed, her tone laced with uncertainty.
She was rethinking.
The woman only shook her head with a smile and gestured for her to hand it to her daughter. Raina's hands trembled as she took the flowers closer to the baby who was no doubt a year old. The girl's face broke out in a smile and she squealed, showing her scanty set of teeth as she reached her hands out, gripping onto the smooth stems.
"Look at that, she loves it already" The mother cooed, now confirming the girl wanted the flowers and not her toy. She turned towards Raina with a thankful smile.
"Well Raina, meet baby Odessa. Odessa, Raina"
•
The Addington mansion was dark and quiet as Roux and the twins hid in the shadows, preparing to surprise Raina McCoy. It was already evening when Madison Armstrong had informed him that they were on their way. She also stated that they visited a restaurant to add to time.
"Is she coming, daddy?" Ethan Addington asked for the umpteenth time in two minutes. The small body clutched his father's clean shirt. He was terrified of the dark but he was willing to bear with it for Raina McCoy. He loved her.
That was the thing about family, they could make you go crazy and still make you do things you never wanted to. Your fears would dissappear as soon as your mind had registered that you would do things for them and not just for yourself.
"I have no idea, sweetheart" Roux Addington ruffled his sons curls as they patiently waited in the dark. He had never imagined that he would be doing something like this— hiding in the dark in order to surprise someone on their birthday. Raina McCoy had truly crumbled his walls.
A minute later, the sound of a car pulling up and the flashing of headlights had their bodies tensing in alert. It felt like forever as they waited in silence before the sound of the front door opening, followed by sharp footsteps echoed throughout the hallway entrance.
They waited with wide grins while Theodore Stancliff stood besides the light switch, ready to flick it on in any minute. Once the person had made it into the living room, the footsteps halted and the lights were flicked on as planned.
"SURPRISE!" The trio yelled and their smiles were wiped off their faces as they spotted who stood in their living room. It was not the birthday girl. It was not Raina McCoy. It was the woman he had mistaken for his first love, life and direct stood before them.
Thea Addington.
"This is so sweet! How did you all know I was coming home?!" Thea gasped as she stared around in surprise. She wanted to surprise them with her arrival but they ended up surprising her instead. She made it out, alive.
The surgery had been done since there were shockingly no donors available and so, a catheter was inserted into her leg and guided to her heart. She had made it out alive. Thea Addington fought, she fought for her family.
"Thea...you are here" Roux trailed, his voice laced with shock. He was paralyzed. The cake in his now trembling hands had fallen off, all of their hard work smacking against the expensive tiles. Was he hallucinating?
"Of course, I am" She laughed as she picked up a random balloon and stared at it with a frown. It read ‘Happy Birthday'. They must have not found any welcoming balloons then.
Just then, Raina McCoy walked out of the hallway entrance, appearing into the living room with an armful of shopping bags. The real celebrity had arrived but the vibes were dead. Seeing Thea Addington, Raina froze on the spot and the bags also slipped from her arms, finding comfort in the cold tiles.
"Raina! Thank you so much!", Thea Addington walked towards her with a wide smile and pulled her into a hug. Her arms were too dead to return the gesture.
Thea Addington pulled away, a wide smile stretched on her lips as she gripped onto Raina McCoy's shoulders. "You do not need to worry, Raina. I will arrange for the termination of the marriage contract and then you can leave as soon as possible"
Raina's eyes moved to Roux Addington and then to the uncomfortable children before trailing to the ruined cake laying on the tiles before returning to Thea Addington's warm ones.
What a bunch of backfired surprises.